Colonial crisis and cross-cultural encounters: Reconfigurations of the social in historical perspective

Convenors:

Patrice Ladwig (Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity )
Ricardo Roque (Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon)

Location:

Callan SLT

Start time:

25 August, 2010 at 11:30

Session slots:

3

Short abstract:

This panel will explore cross-cultural experiences of crisis in the course of colonial encounters. We invite papers that focus on the colonized, and/or on the colonizers and their practices and concepts. Colonial is understood broadly, including both imperial and internal colonialism

Long abstract:

Colonial encounters have often been marked by moments of crisis. This might for example refer to the nefarious consequences of colonial regimes upon the indigenous cultures, or to the varied modes of autochthonous resistance that followed colonial domination. Yet, 'crisis' might also appear in relation to the internal condition and problems of many colonial regimes. This panel seeks to explore from the perspective of historical anthropology the varied indigenous and colonial experiences of, and strategies for dealing with, crises resulting from colonial encounters. 'Colonial crisis' will be approached not simply as a negative and destructive notion, but also as a cross-cultural juncture for the reconfiguration of social relationships. 'Colonial' will here be taken broadly, including both imperial expansionism and internal colonialism and state-building. Areas of inquiry refer (but are not limited) to topics such as state-minorities relations, regimes of colonial administration, medicine, archives, governmentality, ritual and religion, commerce, or conquest.